Let’s invest in career, technical education
Not so long ago, shop and other vocational classes were common in our high schools. These have become scarce in recent years. At the same time, Oregon’s employers have trouble finding skilled workers to fill good jobs paying $25-35 per hour or more: jobs like welding, carpentry, computer coding and advanced manufacturing, just to name a few.
Students should have more options than simply attending college or entering the workforce with a high school diploma and little career-oriented skills — that is, if they graduate high school at all. Measure 98 is aimed at providing opportunities for all students to learn occupational skills that will improve their chances of success.
That’s not the only way Measure 98 helps high school students. It also would create access to co-enrollment courses with community colleges along with advanced placement courses. Students could earn up to a year’s worth of college credits before they graduate high school. It will save students thousands of dollars in tuition and gives them a real head start heading to college.
These important aims have been shown to improve chances of student success. Providing career and technical education options boosts graduation rates by an average of 15 points. Oregon has one of the highest high school dropout rates in the nation, and Measure 98 will help erase this embarrassing distinction.
For students who want to go to college, the co-enrollment courses set the stage for a successful transition. Students in schools with existing college partnerships enroll in higher education institutions at a higher rate and are more likely to stick with it during that critical first year.
Measure 98 accomplishes a lot, all using new revenue that doesn’t take money away from other education programs. It’s the right thing for our schools and our students. That’s why OSEA is endorsing Yes on 98.
Contribute to our political action fund
